Instead of just talking about, this year we decided to actually go to the Balloon Festival.  It was a lot of fun. It was Alyssa's first Festival and she "people watched" like crazy.  It was a beautiful day, not much of a breeze.  We saw the Re/Max Parachuters jump, and that was really cool.  They all landed right where they were supposed to.  Lots of practice. We didn't stay for the fireworks, but I went outside at 9pm and could see them from the front yard.  That was the better idea so we didn't have to fight traffic afterwards. Below are some pictures.         This was also Alyssa's first time to sit in grass.  She was very confused for a few minutes.  She didn't want to touch it with her hands at all.  I don't blame her.  I hate sitting in grass too as it's itchy and icky. I don't kn... 09/22/2008

Although the Summer Olympics 2008 are over I wanted to share some photos I took outside of WOGA, World Olympic Gymnastics Academy, in Plano, TX, where Gold Medalist, Nastia Liuken trains.  Her fellow gymnasts wrote hand written signs and posted them on the door after her win.The facility is only a couple of miles away from my home and each time I drive by I have to smile and think about how much talent is in that building. WOGA is home to two Olympic Champions in the past 8 years Carly Patterson and Nastia Liuken. That's incredible!  Not only is Plano a great place to live, work and play but it's also fertile ground for Top Flite, World Class Olympic Athletes! Plano and all Texans are proud of these Girls! Do you have an aspiring gymnast at home? Consider all that Plano, TX has to offer... 09/20/2008

Localism has educated me tonight. I did not realize that there were other cities of "Plano" around the country, nor had I ever thought to look.  Here's how I found out.... at the top right hand corner of the Localism page is an "explore" button.  I was exploring Plano,TX and then this little box popped up with options for not only Plano, TX, my home town, but; Plano, IL Plano, ID Plano, IA Plano, SD And of all the cities listed named Plano (besides the bustling Plano, TX), only Plano, IL has an active Active Rain Member.  Check your own city out and see where else the name pops up.  It's an education I didn't expect to get tonight. Here's what it looks like: Explore:   What's happening in your neck of the woods? Cities: Plano, TX Plano, IL Plano, ID Plano, IA Plano, SD 09/19/2008

This is an update to the blog I wrote "What if I don't like it?" regarding a property in Plano,TX  Home Star Staging staged last month. Not only did the home seller 'like it', so did several others.  The first offer came just days after staging and subsequently fell through (that's why it's so important to keep a property staged until as close to closing as possible!)and the next offer came shortly after that and closed this week, 2 days shy of one month after staging. Initially, the property was listed in June, vacant with no offers even after a price reduction was taken it languished on the market. While the vacant property showed well (in my opinion) it lacked what most buyers need for vision, warmth scale purpose of the rooms For more thoughts on vacant properties, I encourage you t... 09/19/2008

I was out with Alyssa this morning, furniture browsing, as we need a new kitchen table before we put the house on the market.  We went to one store and found a couple of options.  On our way to the second store, I passed a big yellow sign that read "STORE CLOSING", and I did a double-take.  Yes, the Toys 'R Us in Plano off 75 Central Expressway is closing and moving to Allen, just a few miles up the road. I decided to U-turn back and see what they were giving away.  I was not prepared for any shopping, so I had left all gift cards at home.  I always go into sales like this with my eyes open to look at the actual "regular" prices, and many times, they mark things UP in order to mark them down. Most things were still fairly expensive for a store closing, so we casually walked around.  I ... 09/19/2008

Nick Good | Keller Williams Realty | 469 951 4193 1803 Hillcrest dr., Plano, TX Great Starter Home For a Large Family! Very Large Lot! 4BR/2BA Single Family House offered at $132,500 Year Built 1970 Sq Footage 1,870 Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 2 full, 0 partial Floors 1 Parking 2 Car garage Lot Size Unspecified HOA/Maint $0 per month DESCRIPTION Nick Good of The Good Home Selling Team Proudly Presents: 1803 Hillcrest Dr. Plano, Tx 75074 PRICE JUST REDUCED TO $132,500! Take Advantage of This Great Buying Opportunity in Plano! This LARGE 4 bedroom, 2 bath home sits on a HUGE Corner Lot That is Great For Entertaining! Search For Homes Just Like The Realtors Do! http://nickgood.comRichardson_TX_homes_for_sale.shtml see additional photos below PROPERTY FEATURES Central A/C Central heat Fireplace W... 09/10/2008

The Annual Plano Balloon Festival is almost here!  This is always a fun time.  I never go to the actual festival, but I live a couple of miles from where the balloons take off, so I can see all the action from my back patio or upstairs windows.  It's always a beautiful site. As always, Re/Max is one of the major corporate sponsors.  Could you ask for anything less when Re/Max's logo is a hotair balloon? Festivities kick off next weekend September 19 at 4pm and at 5pm, the Re/Max parachute team will hold their exhibition and at 6pm, Re/Max will present the main Balloon Launch. Festivities go through September 21 at 7pm.  The location, besides my back patio, is at Plano's Oak Point Park.  The closest intersection is Shiloh/SpringCreek and Parker Rd.  There will be some parking near the pa... 09/09/2008

This time last year , Home Star Staging along with another Plano-based home staging professional (and my good friend), Barie Pinnell, with WRE Interiors, were interviewed for an article by the Dallas Morning News. It was an article regarding of course Home Staging for sellers.   As we all know, in today's tough real estate market, home staging is fast becoming a way of setting a home apart from the competition, but not everyone understands how to work with a home stager.  Barie and I, along with a few other local home staging professionals had actually gotten together for the article and collectively staged a property that was photographed to be part of the story. While we waited and waited for the article to appear it just never seemed to make it. Barie called me a couple of weeks ago ... 09/05/2008

It has been 17 years since Congressman Sam Johnson (R-Richardson) and U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) have been pushing for a new courthouse in Plano. It took multiple tries to pass through the House and then the U.S. Senate. Finally in 2003, President George W. Bush signed the measure into law. On March 12, 2007 ground was broken at 7490 Preston Road, just north of the new Children's Medical Center and down the street from the Stonebriar Mall in Frisco. The 74,000 square feet building cost an estimated $17M to complete. The Federal government signed a 15-year lease on the building at an estimated $185,000 per month for rent.  Before the Plano federal courthouse was built, Collin County residents had to drive to the Eastern District courthouses in Sherman or Tyler to handle their federa... 08/31/2008

So, have you ever wondered what Rotary is? As a member of Plano West Rotary, let me try and explain. I've only been a member for 4 years. I'm still a "newbie" in the club compared to some of our club members have been involved for 20, 30, 40 and even 50 years!! Amazing. Rotary is the world's first service club organization with 33,000 clubs in over 200 countries. Members form a global network of service oriented leaders who volunteer their time and money to serve their local communities and worldwide. Our motto is, Service above Self.   Each club meets weekly and attendence is mandatory. If you miss a meeting, you are encouraged to make-up at another club or you can go online. As Program Chair for 2007-2008, it was my responsibility to find the speaker for each meeting. This was a chall... 08/29/2008

What a timely blog written by Connie Tebyani called "Got....Interns?" I just finished teaching my 3rd Home Staging class at Collin College  in Plano, TX this week and it was the smallest class yet. It was actually really nice and intimate and I have been very busy these last two weeks with work and school starting for my kids, so the class size was a welcome respite from the hectic nature of this past month. The last day of the class I talk about vacant properties and how important it is to stage them. I've written on this topic several times and you can read these two blogs, "Vacants... a growing market" and "Redemption for the soul less. Staging SAVES your vacant property from the no sale graveyard" to get an idea of my feelings about them. After reading Connie's blog this week and al... 08/29/2008

  The Census Bureau released its annual report on income and poverty on Tuesday, showing that Plano, TX is the most affluent amongst cities with populations of 250,000 or more. It had the highest median household income of $84,492, up 10% from 2006, and the lowest poverty rate. San Jose came in second with a median income of only $76,963. I grew up in a neighboring city to San Jose, CA so I have first hand experience of the difference in lifestyle between the No. 1 and 2 cities. San Jose and its neighboring suburbs are great cities, with plenty of places to go and things to do. San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Alcatraz are only an hour drive up the peninsula. Lake Tahoe’s beautiful blue shores in the summer or snow-covered peaks in the winter are only 3 hours N... 08/28/2008

The BEST baby and toddler consignment sale in DFW starts tomorrow at 8am at the Plano Centre in Plano, TX. This will be my third time to attend.  I love being able to buy next-to-new for cheap cheap prices.  Babies use toys for such a short period of time, why pay retail when you don't have to? Alyssa is now walking while pushing things, so I'll be getting her another push toy to keep at Grandma's.  She also needs a swing to hang from a tree and maybe a play fort that she can climb around in. Get there early!  The 75% off thing is brand new.  They usually only have 50% off day.  I can't wait! Maybe I'll see you there! 08/28/2008

If you don't already know it (and if you don't have children in PISD or at all, it's easy not to know) tomorrow, Monday August 25th, marks the beginning of the new 2008-09 school year for PISD students, teachers and staff. I know we're not quite accepting this in the Otto household today. Although we KNOW it, it just doesn't feel like it.  Maybe because my kids are older or cooler about it and don't care to have the latest Jonas Brothers or Miley Cyrus lunch gear or t-shirts. They've settled into the "back to school groove" easier than they used to and I guess I have too.  Reality comes early for one 8thgrader tomorrow in my house with her 7:00 AM wake up call. The older of my two, a senior this year, has a late arrival schedule of 9:50 AM due to his top loaded schedule of classes and t... 08/24/2008

OPEN HOUSE! Saturday, Aug. 23, 2:00 - 4:00 PM Amazing creek side home in sought after Hunters Glen. Location: Hunters GlenThis beautiful home offers a flowing floor plan with upgrades galore! The exquisite kitchen is a delight featuring granite countertops, decorative ceramic backsplash, custom cabinets, double ovens, and a spacious breakfast nook overlooking the large front yard. Private in-law suite with double closets nestled away from main living areas and across from full downstairs bath. Backyard oasis features mature trees, amazing creekside view, covered patio and a recently resurfaced diving pool, perfect for a family of any age.InformationContact Information The Trinity Group469-449-9373Contact Reply FormForward to a FriendView Other FlyersPricingAsking Price: $298,500.00Prope... 08/20/2008

2008-09 Plano East Theatre Students  The award winning Plano East Theatre Department under the leadership of Lisa Hale, Theatre Director and Zachary Elms, Technical Director is getting ready for the fall 2008 season. Auditions for the season's first show, starring the "by audition and invitation only" Theatre Major Studies students are August 26th & 27th. The first show, The Rimers of Eldritch, by Lanford Wilson, opens October 2nd through the 4th at 7:00 PM in the Plano East Theatre Auditorium. Audience seating for this show will be limited. Tickets for the play are $6 for students and $8 for adults and are available at the box office the night of the show. The Rimers of Eldritch is a play set in a dilapidated mid-western town whose boon days have long since past. The story finds the t... 08/17/2008

I wanted to share with everyone why I love Plano and think it is a great place to live. I have really enjoyed living in Plano,TX for the past 8 years and can't imagine living in any other city locally. 1. Location - Plano is close to Dallas without having to deal directly with big city Dallas problems and politics. Plano is the southernmost city in Collin County so we get to enjoy the best of both worlds. To the south, I'm 25 minutes from downtown Dallas and to the north only 20 minutes to the county seat of Collin County in McKinney. 2. Great Schools - I don't have children but I appreciate an area that has good schools because it keeps my property values up. And when I do have children then I want to be in an area that I'm comfortable sending my kids to public school. 3. Superb City S... 08/10/2008

Coming Soon! Amazing creek side home in sought after Hunters Glen. Location: Hunters GlenThis beautiful home offers a flowing floor plan with upgrades galore! The exquisite kitchen is a delight featuring granite countertops, decorative ceramic backsplash, custom cabinets, double ovens, and a spacious breakfast nook overlooking the large front yard. Private in-law suite with double closets nestled away from main living areas and across from full downstairs bath. Backyard oasis features mature trees, amazing creekside view, covered patio and a recently resurfaced diving pool, perfect for a family of any age.InformationContact Information The Trinity Group469-449-9373Contact Reply FormForward to a FriendView Other FlyersPricingAsking Price: $298,500FeaturesBedrooms: 4Bathrooms: 3Parking: 2... 08/08/2008

I recently received my evaluation reviews from the students I teach the Home Staging for Sellers and Realtors CE course for at Collin College in Plano, TX.  I was excited, honored and humbled by the comments and wanted to share some of them with you here. 1. What did you like about the course? "Interesting content, enthusiastic instructor" "Instructor was pleasant and did not condescend as some instructors do. She showed us that though a professional, she is not the only one who can do this" "Great instructor!" "Went to great lengths to individualize her offerings according to the student's interests and objectives" "Lots of examples" "Practical tips" "She was able to relate to those in the class interested in becoming home stagers as well as those interested in better presenting their ... 08/03/2008

The Enclaves at Willow Crest is located near the intersection of Ohio and McDermott in Plano, Texas. The community offers a classic, old-world neighborhood feel.  The builder, Portrait Homes, offers buyers the choice of five unique two-story townhome floor plans, ranging from 1633 to more than 2300 square feet in size!  The pool is on the right as you enter the community and connected to a beautiful park for the kiddos. The school district is Frisco and it is the best of both worlds, City of Plano, with Frisco ISD, lower taxes!  Right around the corner is the Stonebriar Mall with every need you will ever have.  Local retailers within two minutes are Sam's Walmart, Home Depot, Taco Bell, Shell, Grandy's, Discount Tire, Burger King, A /High End car wash, and many more. Each of the homes b... 08/03/2008